The Irish standard., 1887-09-24
A LETTER FROM LEO XIII.
He Heartily Approves of the New
Catholic University Washington
Chosen as the Location.
MEETING in BALTIMORE
Of the Trustees Of the Proposed Institution
Right Rev. John j. Keane, Of Rich
mond, Chosen as Rector.
a Baltimore letter to the Catholic
TTninr and 1,i1nes reads as follows

| A Baltimore letter to the Catholic
Union and Times reads as follows:
| The board of trustees Of the proposed
American Catholic University held q
meeting yesterday at the residence OF
Cardinal Gibbons. There was 8 full at
tendance Of the members, viz. I: Cardi
nal Gibbons, Archbisbops Williams OF
Boston Corrigan Of New York Ryan
Of Philadelphia Bishops Ireland of St.
Paul Spaulding OF PEORIA Marty Of
Dakota; Macs OF Covington Rev.
I>rs. Foley of Baltimore; Chapel]e Of
Washington Rev. Thomas S. Lee,
Baltimore Mgr. Farley. New York,
secretary of the board, and Messrs.
Thomas Waggaman, Washington, and
Eugene Kelly, New York.
The meeting was opened by readi 6
letter from Pope Leo. 1t says that it
has ever been the glory of the Church,
and especially of her supreme pontiffs,
earnestly to promote true knowledge
and studiously to provide that in her
schools the sciences, ard especially
those of theology and philosophy should
should be taught in conformity with di-
vine faith, so that the forces of revela-
ton and reason combined should form
an iuvincible bulwark Of faith. Hence
our predecessors, always ardently So
licitous for the education Of Christian
people in the past, spared DO pains nor
labor to found in the principal cities
of Europe those celebrated institutions
Of learning; that is to say, those univer-
stiles which III the middle ages, and in
the centuries following, enriched
church and state with mnltitudes OF
men of learning.
For this same end, from the moment
that the government ct the Church was
committed to us, we have labored as
siduously for the revival Of learning.
With this aim ia view that, in the cul-
tivation oftthe more important studies,
while full account should be taken Of
all the results which the industry Of
learned men has skillfuliy and wisely
attained to recent times. the system Of
philosophy should be shaped according
TO the noble wisdom of the ancientS.
For there was no doubt whatever in
our mind that this revival Of the
sciences once effected, the study even
of letters and of the other branches OF
human learning, joined With regard for
religion, would rebound greatly to the
advantage Of civil society. The inn
portance of this is made manifest by
the dangers to which youth is exposed
in European countries in our days, and
your own acquaintance with the con.
dition of things in North America. can
not but have convinced you likewise OF
it's very grave moment. For the un
limited license of thought and OF writ
ing, to which erroneous notions con-
cerning both divine and human things
have given rise not only in Europe but
also in your country has been the
source of unbridlad opinions; while or
the other hand, with religion banished
to great extent from the schools wick
ed men audaciously strive by the craft
of fa]lacious wisdom to extinguish the
light of faith i'll the minds of the young
and to enkindle therein the flames OF
irreiigion.
We therefore, most gladly welcome
and heartily approve your project for
the creation OF a university, moved as
you are by a. desire to promote the well
fare of all and the interests of your
i!lustrious republic; but in order that
this noble institute may be happily es-
tablished and conducted to ever-in-
creasing prosperity it must remain un-
der the authority and protection of all
the bishops Of the country, in such a way
that it's whole administration shall be-
directed by them through certain
bishops selected for that purpose whose
right and duty it shall be to regulate
the system of study, to make rules Of
discipline, to select the professors and
other officials Of the university and to
obtain whatever else pertains to its
best government.
And 1t is fitting that whatever shall
be established concerning all these
things shall be presented to this apos-
tolic see for its approval. But as to the
choice OF the city in which the univer-
sity is to be erected we desire that
counsel to be taken with all the bishops